Online Yoga

So I don’t have much time today. It was a beast of a day at work (more on that later) and the end of the semester is next week so I’m swamped with paper writing.

I wanted to share a resource with you that has really helped me in the past! I go through phases (wish I could keep them up consistently) where I take really good care of my body and mind. Part of that is doing regular yoga. Please don’t envision me twisting myself into a pretzel, I’m seriously not that flexible!

Through trial and error I have found that I don’t care for group yoga classes. Some people find them to be wonderful, supportive environments. That’s just not me. First, there’s the social anxiety aspect of exercising in front of others. Second, it turns out that I’m more competitive than I realized and group yoga makes me angry because I get competitive but I’m not very good at yoga so I get frustrated at most of the class being better than I am. Not exactly a recipe for relaxation. Third, it can be expensive! I’m a social worker (one of the lowest paid degrees) with massive student debt and no foreseeable way to pay it off. I’d hope for lottery winnings but can’t bring myself to spend the money on something so statistically unlikely. I can’t afford $10-13 dollars a week for a yoga class (or a private class that is much more expensive)!

Luckily for me, I discovered the world of online yoga classes and videos! Many of them are free on youtube. I like free. I like that I can do them at home with only my pets watching me. Just do a search for yoga classes. Everyone has their own personality so if you don’t like the first one you try, look at a couple of other instructors to see if they are a better fit.

My favorite youtube channel is Yoga with Adriene. The instructor is pretty down to earth and aims to make yoga less intimidating. She’s got some great videos focused on yoga to decrease anxiety (yay!). She has put together some really neat 30-day series of yoga practices. I completed one last summer and I really liked it. She’s also got a good variety in the duration of her videos – some under 20 minutes, others around an hour.

If you chose a more lucrative career than I did you can also check out her website http://yogawithadriene.com/ where she offers collections of classes in specific areas (ex – prenatal) for a fee. I think she also offers a monthly membership with access to more videos than are available on the youtube channel.

What is the most important thing is that you find what works for you. My sister hates yoga but finds relaxation in group boxing classes (which sounds awful to me but she loves them). If yoga’s not your thing then don’t force it. But if you haven’t given it a try or want to get back into it then hit up the world of online yoga.

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Published by Liz

I'm a licensed clinical social worker and a supervisor in a non-profit agency. I'm also a full-time student pursuing my doctorate in social work. When I'm not working or studying I spend time with my friends and family (both the furry and human kind) or curled up with a good book.
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9 thoughts on “Online Yoga”

I also love Yoga with Adriene! I started yoga awhile ago to try to de-stress, and her channel was the first I found on YouTube. Her videos are great- she makes it fun and easy. I’m glad that you’ve been helped by yoga as well!
-Cate

I LOVE Yoga with Adrienne! Funny story, I was doing her “yoga for when you’re angry” episode and she was teaching how to do laughter yoga. My dog must have thought I was playing with him and took a flying LEAP from the bed onto my stomach, completely knocking the air out of me. That was my first and last experience with laughter yoga.

I love it! My dogs think yoga is playtime as well. They like to sit on the mat, make me pet them, chew lightly on my hand while I’m in downward dog, etc. Not sure I’ve have not tried laughter yoga yet. I’m a little worried it would feel too odd to be in alone in a room laughing to myself.

I agree, she makes it look like a piece of cake, while I’m in a pose with all of my muscles shaking and sweat dripping into my mat. I won’t claim to be a daily practitioner. I’m doing well if I get in 1-2 sessions a week. But, at least I don’t feel like I’m being judged whenever I’m inconsistent – she acts like she is happy whenever anyone shows up.